Traditional lighted artificial trees, decorative sculptures, or other pre-lit artificial decorations typically include components that are mechanically affixed to each other to represent a tree, figurine, or other object, such as a pine tree, reindeer, or snowman. Light strings are attached to the pre-lit artificial decorations for illumination and decorative purposes. Traditional light strings typically include a set of insulated wires and incandescent bulbs. The insulated wires typically comprise a pair of insulated multi-strand conductors, for example, a pair of 22 AWG insulated wires, each multi-strand conductor having sixteen twisted copper strands, connected to each bulb. The gauge of the wire must be sufficient to withstand the rigors of shipping, handling, and storage, as well as the extremes of outdoor weather, such as snow, rain, and a substantially wide range of temperatures.
More recently, and in an effort to increase energy efficiency and reliability, manufacturers have begun using light-emitting diodes (LEDs) rather than incandescent bulbs. Indeed, lighted artificial decorations having light strings with LEDs rather than incandescent bulbs are well known. Such known lighted decorations often simply replace the incandescent bulbs with similar bulb or lamp assemblies that use LED “bulbs,” utilizing the same insulated, multi-strand conductor wiring as the incandescent-bulb-based light strings, and utilizing the same techniques of affixing the light strings to the sculpture. In some cases, the lower current requirements of the LEDs may allow the use of smaller diameter conductors or fewer conductor strands, for example, allowing the use of 25 AWG wire, for example, instead of 22 AWG wire. While such a technique maintains the look and feel of a traditional lighted decorations having traditional light strings, the growing popularity of more and more lights on a pre-lit artificial decoration, even with LED technology, typically requires an enormous length of insulated wire that remains visible on the components of the artificial decoration, thereby diminishing its perceived attractiveness.
Further improvements to LED lighting and to techniques for maintaining the perceived attractiveness of pre-lit artificial structures or objects would be welcome.